Articles from the March 30, 2023 edition

Gordon Weeks|Mar 30, 2023

Stan Gabelein created stunningly realistic wildlife oil paintings for decades before he began writing at age 78. In less than two years, the Mason County resident wrote and published an autobiography and a novel. He penned the autobiography, "The Outdoorsman: Stories of a Hunting and Fishing Life," in three months. After all, he said, "I had all the information I needed." "A lot of people say they're going to write their stories, but never do," Gabelein said in an interview with the Journal at...

Matt Baide|Mar 30, 2023

A 30-year-old Shelton woman suspected in the shooting of her boyfriend was found dead March 18 at the High Steel Bridge in Mason County. According to court documents, the deceased woman is Chantel Dawn Peterson, who was charged with domestic violence assault in the first degree for the Feb. 12 shooting of Elijah Gossett in Shelton. The cause of death was suicide, according to court documents. At the time of her death, Peterson was free on $5,000 bail following her initial arraignment on Feb....

Gordon Weeks|Mar 30, 2023

The City of Shelton stores a couple million gallons of water in five tanks, but needs more to meet growth. "We don't have adequate storage in our reservoir system," Jay Harris, the city's public works director, told the Shelton City Council at its March 21 meeting. "We're having a problem with new development and new connections." At that meeting, the council voted unanimously to award a $79,985 contract to the firm of BHC Consultants of Tacoma to study the city's water reservoir system and prop...

Mar 30, 2023

Ralph was born in Tillamook, OR to Linza and Margurette Cook on August 23, 1936. The family moved to Matlock when he was six years old. Ralph attended Mary M. Knight School District and graduated in 1954. Ralph eloped to Coeur d'Alene, ID with Deanna Hall, his high school sweetheart in 1955. They recently celebrated 68 years of marriage. Ralph retired in 1984 from Simpson Timber Company after 30 years as Railroad Foreman and then Superintendent. His retirement was busy working with his family on...

Matt Baide|Mar 30, 2023

The COVID-19 pandemic began three years ago, and the last remnants of the pandemic era restrictions are set to end next week throughout the state. The mask mandate will end at Mason Health and Mason General Hospital on April 3, as directed by the state Department of Health to end the statewide mask order. Employees who interact with patients will still be required to wear masks while in the facilities, according to Mason Health Chief Medical Officer Dr. Dean Gushee. “Mason (Health) is taking a...

Kirk Ericson|Mar 30, 2023

Dear readers, I have ideas for columns that haven’t become columns yet, and maybe never will. Those ideas, some of them now nearly 6 years old, nag at me like a pile of gunk in the closet. So, I’ve decided to clean out that closet. The story ideas that follow are getting tossed. It’s spring cleaning for the head. Here’s how you can help. Check out the following stories and pick one that you’d like to see written into a column. Tell me. My email address is at the bottom of the column and I’ll...

Mar 30, 2023

Define gun Editor, the Journal, Responding to Mr. Bob Pickles and like-minded individuals. Can you define what an assault weapon consists of? Personally, I am offended by those stating, "Most Americans want" when it comes to biased, one-sided issues when those making those statements do not know or want to understand the other point of view. There are many that hunt and many who compete in target competitions that do so lawfully, and responsibly, but little by little people with the AK-47...

Kirk Boxleitner|Mar 30, 2023

Forest McCullough of Hoodsport-based Northwest Land & Tree recently told the Port of Hoodsport Commission that “snow has put a damper on our progress,” but he still expects work on the Hoodsport trail park to be complete for the port commissioners’ planned opening around Memorial Day weekend. While the early part of March still saw onsite logging work continue, McCullough said work on the parking lot had to be suspended at times while he waited for snow to melt. When Port of Hoodsport Commi...

Compiled by reporter Gordon Weeks|Mar 30, 2023

Shelton educator earns honor Shelton resident Ellen Shortt Sanchez, director of the Center for Community Based Learning and Action at The Evergreen State College, was selected as the 2023 Continuums of Service Western Region Community Engaged Professional. The award was conferred at the group's regional conference March 14-17 in Honolulu. A Shelton resident since 1990, Shortt was recognized for her commitment to providing leadership on campus to foster civic/community engagement. She also was...

Jan Parker|Mar 30, 2023

Washington's ban on the manufacture and sale of alcoholic beverages became effective in 1916, making the state one of 33 that banned alcohol before the 18th Amendment to the Constitution made it illegal nationwide in 1919. This story is taken from the March 3, 1921, edition of the Mason County Journal. (Prohibition was repealed nationwide in 1933.) In mid-March 1921, Mason County Sheriff Ralph Potts and his deputies, aided by federal officers, raided two moonshine distilleries that were in activ...

Kirk Boxleitner|Mar 30, 2023

All hail "John Wick, the most perfect unplanned action film franchise ever. With every other series of action films whose sequels were propelled more by the previous installments' unexpectedly outsized and enduring popularity than by any premeditated plots their creators might have had in mind, there is always some misstep, however minor, that the series has to either retroactively erase or else compensate for in the later installments. The "Fast & Furious" franchise has made an admirable art fo...

Mar 30, 2023

Mar 30, 2023

Shelton baseball The Highclimbers lost all three games last week in Evergreen Conference and nonlegue games. Shelton lost a pair of games to defending state champion Tumwater, falling 6-4 in Tumwater on March 21 and dropping a 10-3 contest March 22 in Shelton. The Highclimbers dropped a nonleague game to Aloha, Oregon, on Friday, 11-0. Shelton (1-4, 0-2) faced Aberdeen in a home and home series Tuesday in Aberdeen and Wednesday in Shelton before spring break. North Mason baseball North Mason...

Mar 30, 2023

Kirk Boxleitner|Mar 30, 2023

Port of Grapeview Commissioner Jean Farmer, citing her “long history of interest in broadband” for rural communities, will join Port of Allyn Commissioner Ted Jackson on the task force charged with expanding broadband in Mason County. “As a port commissioner and a business owner, I personally saw the lack of connection for many of us,” Farmer told the Herald. “I hope all of us coming together will have a positive impact on our communities.” As with Jackson, Farmer was invited by Dan Teuteberg, a...

Clydene Hostetler|Mar 30, 2023

You get the idea that Mary is getting tired of the rain and cold? I know I am! March is always the time we are all getting fed up with winter in the Northwest. Saturday, March 19, 1949 Today it is raining again and very windy out. We ate about 9:30 a.m. and then drove up to Sedro-Woolley to see Henry and Laurice. Henry was still in bed but soon got up and was "raring" to eat. Sat there and talked until nearly 2 when we went back to Conway. They have refinished an old house and it looks very...